We've all been carefully watching and waiting to hear news of a 2025-2026 Winter Steelhead season on the coast, and after a general announcement last week, we've got a little more clarity on exactly when and where we'll be allowed to harvest hatchery steelhead and target those trophy Central Coast Steelhead for catch & release.
It looks decent this year for Grays Harbor, Queets and Quinault River systems, with some fishing opportunities in each. While there are a number of smaller systems that have good opportunity, let's focus on the more well known rivers that draw most of the angling excitement. Most major rivers will have some season for earlier hatchery Steelhead, and a good number will have later opportunities to target Wild Steelhead for catch & release.
This fishery is one that is constantly being monitored and assessed, so it's always a good idea to consult the emergency rules before a trip.
Queets, Quinault, central coast, and Grays Harbor rivers and tributaries: fishing rules update
December 2, 2025
Actions:
- Updates single point barbless hook requirements for month of Dec.
- Maintains previously announced release requirements for wild trout.
- Maintains previously announced game fish (including trout and steelhead) season closing dates.
- Maintains previously announced game fish (including trout and steelhead) gear restrictions.
- Maintains previously announced steelhead daily limits.
Effective dates: Dec. 3, 2025–April 30, 2026.
Species affected: All species.
Locations, specific dates, and rule changes (shows all changes to rules listed in 2025-26 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet):
Chehalis River (Grays Harbor County):
- From mouth (Highway 101 Bridge in Aberdeen) to confluence with the Skookumchuck River, including all channels, sloughs, and interconnected waterways:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 15:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 16–April 15:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From the confluence of the Skookumchuck River to the confluence of Crim Creek:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–April 15:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From Crim Creek upstream:
- Dec. 3–April 15:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–April 15:
Chehalis River, South Fork (Lewis County), from mouth to County Highway Bridge near Boistfort School:
- Dec. 3–April 15:
- All species: Closed.
Clearwater River (Jefferson County), from mouth to Snahapish River:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Selective gear rules, except bait is allowed.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- March 1–31:
- All species: Selective gear rules. Catch-and-release.
- April 1–15:
- All species: Closed.
Cloquallum Creek (Grays Harbor/Mason County), from mouth to outlet at Stump Lake:
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Copalis River (Grays Harbor County), from mouth upstream:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
Elk Creek (Lewis and Pacific counties):
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
Elk River (Grays Harbor County), from mouth (Highway 105 Bridge) upstream:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Hoquiam River, including West Fork (Grays Harbor County): From mouth (Highway 101 Bridge on Simpson) upstream:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Hoquiam River, East Fork (Grays Harbor County), from mouth upstream:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Humptulips River (Grays Harbor County)
- From mouth (Jessie Slough) to Highway 101 Bridge:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 1:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 2–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From Highway 101 Bridge to confluence of east and west forks:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
Humptulips River, West Fork (Grays Harbor County), from mouth to Donkey Creek:
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Joe Creek (Grays Harbor County), from mouth to Ocean Beach Road Bridge:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
John’s River (Grays Harbor County), from mouth to Ballon Creek:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Moclips River (Grays Harbor County), from mouth to the Quinault Indian Reservation boundary:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
Newaukum River, including South Fork (Lewis County):
- From mouth to Leonard Road near Onalaska:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From Leonard Road near Onalaska to Highway 508 Bridge near Kearny Creek:
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–March 31:
Newaukum River, Middle Fork (Lewis County), from mouth to Tauscher Road Bridge:
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
Newaukum River, North Fork (Lewis County), from mouth to 400 feet below the Chehalis city water intake:
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
Quinault River (Grays Harbor and Jefferson counties), from mouth at upper end of Quinault Lake upstream to Olympic National Park boundary:
- Dec. 3–31:
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–March 31:
- All species: Bait prohibited.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- April 1–15:
- All species: Closed.
Salmon River (Jefferson County), outside Olympic National Park and Quinault Indian Reservation:
- Dec. 3–31:
- Steelhead: It is permissible to retain steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8 inches or with an adipose or ventral fin clip. Minimum size 20 inches. Daily limit two.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28
- All species: Bait prohibited.
- Steelhead: It is permissible to retain steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8 inches or with an adipose or ventral fin clip. Minimum size 20 inches. Daily limit two.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
Satsop River and East Fork (Grays Harbor County):
- From mouth to the bridge at Schafer State Park:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb 15:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 16–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From 400 feet downstream of Bingham Creek Hatchery barrier dam upstream to the dam:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 15:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 16–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
Satsop River, Middle Fork (Grays Harbor County):
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Satsop River, West Fork (Grays Harbor County):
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Skookumchuck River (Thurston County), from the mouth to 100 feet below the outlet of the TransAlta/WDFW steelhead rearing pond at the base of the Skookumchuck Dam:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 15:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 16–April 30:
- All species: Closed.
Stevens Creek (Grays Harbor County):
- From the mouth to the cable crossing downstream of WDFW hatchery outlet:
- Dec. 3–Feb. 1:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 2–28:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–Feb. 1:
- From WDFW hatchery outlet to Highway 101 Bridge:
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–Feb. 28:
Van Winkle Creek (Grays Harbor County), from the mouth to 400 feet below the outlet of Lake Aberdeen Hatchery:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Wishkah River (Grays Harbor County), from mouth to 200 feet below the weir at the Wishkah rearing ponds:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb. 28:
- All species: Closed.
Wynoochee River (Grays Harbor County):
- From mouth to the 7400 Line Bridge:
- Dec. 3–31:
- All species: Single point barbless hooks required.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Jan. 1–Feb 15:
- All species: Selective gear rules.
- Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
- Feb. 16–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–31:
- From the 7400 Line Bridge to 400 feet downstream of Wynoochee Dam:
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- Upstream of Wynoochee Dam to Wynoochee Falls:
- Dec. 3–March 31:
- All species: Closed.
- Dec. 3–March 31:
Reason for action: These rule changes implement permanent rules adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission on Nov. 14 and provide protection for wild steelhead stocks that are expected to return below the escapement targets. These rule changes are expected to result in a reduction of wild steelhead encounters relative to permanent rules in place.
Additional information: Fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website before fishing. Refer to the 2025–26 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for current regulations. Download the Fish Washington® mobile app to stay up to date on the go.
Information contact: Coastal Region, TeamMontesano@dfw.wa.gov, 360-249-4628.
Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license, appropriate to the fishery. Check the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations. Fishing rules are subject to change. Visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing-hotlines to find a list of mobile, web, print, or customer service phone options for the latest rule information.
